Effect of urbanization on the abundance and distribution of Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus) in Beijing

With rapid urbanization occurring throughout China,the existence of Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus) in big cities is likely to be affected by a decrease in habitat and food availability.Can the urban Tree Sparrow adapt to these changes? To elucidate this question,we studied the effect of urbanization on the abundance and distribution of Tree Sparrows in Beijing.We found the abundance of the Tree Sparrow negatively correlated with an urbanization score.Sparrow abundance was very low in residential areas with high-rise buildings,commercial centers and main roads,while their numbers were significantly higher in parks,university campuses,low building residential and suburban areas.Environmental factors within the 50 m and 200 m scales were most suitable in predicting the distribution of Tree Sparrows during winter,while factors within 50 m and 400 m scales are suitable during the breeding season.During winter,the number of conifer trees and pedestrians were the major factors at the 50 m scale,while the area of high-rise buildings and vegetation become the predominant factors on a 200 m scale.Alternatively,during the breeding season the area of low buildings and the number of conifers and pedestrians were the main factors on the 50 m scale while the area of high-rise buildings and vegetation remained the most important factors on the 400 m scale.These results indicate that highly urbanized areas are not suitable habitats for the Tree Sparrow,although this species can adapt to human environments.Food and nest sites for urban birds should be considered in urban planning of big cities in developing countries.

Genetic benefits of female from extra-pair paternity are context dependent within the socially monogamous Tree Sparrow

Females actively seek extra-pair paternity(EPP)to acquire a fitness advantage for their offspring.The“contextdependence hypothesis”posits that female extra-pair mate choice has plasticity in response to environmental conditions,and therefore magnitude of female genetic benefits from EPP depends on the environmental variation.Furthermore,chronic heavy metal pollution can cause adverse effects on fitness-related traits of wild birds.However,few studies were available on the interactions between heavy metal pollution and EPP.We selected an area that was contaminated by heavy metals for more than 60 years(Baiyin,BY),a relatively unpolluted area(Liujiaxia,LJX),and Tree Sparrows(Passer montanus)as study species to explore the response of female extrapair mate choice and genetic benefits from EPP to heavy metal pollution in socially monogamous birds.The relatedness between social mates and extra-pair mates was investigated.Additionally,we compared the body size and heterozygosity of extra-pair offspring(EPO),within-pair offspring(WPO),social males and extra-pair males from the two Tree Sparrow populations.We found that at BY,female Tree Sparrows tended to choose extra-pair males with larger body size and lower genetic similarity,thereby producing higher heterozygosity and larger body size of EPO compared with those of WPO.However,no similar phenomenon was observed in the Tree Sparrow population from LJX.In addition,there was a significant interaction between population and paternity in the analyses of the fitness-related traits,suggesting that environmental variation could affect female genetic benefits from EPP.This study confirmed the existence of presumed interactions between environmental pollution and EPP within the natural population of socially monogamous Tree Sparrows.Our findings shed lights on the possible effects of long-term environmental stress on mating system in wild birds.

麻雀(Passer montanus)消化道嗜银细胞的分布及形态学观察

为了探讨麻雀(Passer montanus)消化道嗜银细胞的分布密度、位置及形态,试验采用Grimelius银染法。结果表明:在麻雀消化道中除了食管、肌胃以外的其他部位均发现嗜银细胞,其分布密度在腺胃最多,空肠次之,十二指肠最少,嗜银细胞分布于腺泡上皮细胞之间、上皮细胞基部。麻雀消化道嗜银细胞形态不一,以锥体形为主,还有圆形和梭形,根据细胞形态认为麻雀消化道嗜银细胞兼有内分泌和外分泌功能。

Thermogenic responses in Eurasian Tree Sparrow(Passer montanus)to seasonal acclimatization and temperature-photoperiod acclimation

Background:Small birds in temperate habitats must either migrate,or adjust aspects of their morphology,physiology and behavior to cope with seasonal change in temperature and photoperiod.It is,however,difficult to accurately measure how seasonal changes in temperature and photoperiod affect physiological processes such as basal metabolic rate(BMR)and metabolic activity.To address this problem,we collected data in each month of the year on body mass(Mb)and BMR,and conducted a series of experiments to determine the effect of temperature and photoperiod on Mb,BMR and physiological markers of metabolic activity,in the Eurasian Tree Sparrow(Passer montanus).Methods:In one experiment,we measured monthly change in Mb and BMR in a captive group of birds over a year.In another experiment,we examined the effects of acclimating birds to two different temperatures,10 and 30℃,and a long and a short photoperiod(16 h light:8 h dark and 8 h light:16 h dark,respectively)for 4 weeks.Results:We found that these treatments induced sparrows to adjust their Mb and metabolic rate processes.Acclimation to 30℃for 4 weeks significantly decreased sparrows’Mb,BMR,and energy intake,including both gross energy intake and digestible energy intake,compared to birds acclimated to 10℃.The dry mass of the liver,kidneys and digestive tract of birds acclimated to 30℃also significantly decreased,although their heart and skeletal muscle mass did not change significantly relative to those acclimated to 10℃.Birds acclimated to 30℃also had lower mitochondrial state-4 respiration(S4R)and cytochrome c oxidase(COX)activity in their liver and skeletal muscle,compared to those acclimated to 10℃.Birds acclimated to the long photoperiod also had lower mitochondrial S4R and COX activity in their liver,compared to those acclimated to the short photoperiod.Conclusions:These results illustrate the changes in morphology,physiology,and enzyme activity induced by seasonal change in temperature and photoperiod in a small temperate passerine.Both temperature and photoperiod probably have a strong effect on seasonal variation in metabolic heat production in small birds in temperate regions.The effect of temperature is,however,stronger than that of photoperiod.

城市化对城市麻雀栖息地利用的影响:以北京市为例

本文以北京市为例研究了城市化水平不同的8个区域中麻雀(Passermontanus)的数量分布现状以及影响麻雀分布的栖息地因子。结果表明,越冬期和繁殖期的麻雀数量均与城市化程度呈显著的负相关关系;城市化程度高的城市中心商业区、高层居民区和城市主干道中的麻雀数量均很少;城市化程度较低的城乡结合区、公园、城市的平房区及古建筑区域中麻雀数量均较多;高校校园和低层楼房居民区,虽然城市化程度相对较高,但由于植被较丰富,麻雀数量也较多。平房面积、针叶树数量、阔叶树数量、空调数量、高层楼房的面积、硬化地面的面积、人流量及车流量是影响麻雀栖息地利用的重要因素。其中平房面积、针叶树、阔叶树、空调的数量增加,可为麻雀提供栖息条件而有利于麻雀的利用;硬化地面的面积、高层楼房的面积、人流量及车流量的增加,由于减少了杂草等麻雀的食物来源并增加了干扰,不利于麻雀的利用。结果表明,虽然麻雀是一个适应人类生活环境的物种,但在快速的城市化变迁中,它已表现出对高度城市化环境的不适应。在城市的规划与建设中,应考虑到为以麻雀为代表的城市鸟类提供生存必要的植被和繁殖场所,构建人鸟和谐共存的生态城市。

浙江省麻雀数量变化与环境关系研究

利用浙江省陆生野生动物疫源疫病监测站2010~2013年的监测数据,分析了麻雀(Passer montanus)种群动态变化及其影响因子,对野外鸟类监测工作提出建议。结果表明,麻雀数量空间分布呈现出北部平原地区>东部沿海丘陵地区>西南高山地区。麻雀数量的动态变化:1~3月数量稳定,4月数量增长出现峰值,8月数量再次出现峰值,10月数量开始下降,11~12月稳定,推算得出浙江省麻雀繁殖期在4~9月。平均温度为0~10℃时,麻雀数量稳定;平均温度为10~20℃时,数量开始增加;平均温度为20~25℃时,数量有下降;平均温度为25~35℃时,数量又有增加。麻雀数量和天气因子极显著相关(P<0.01)。因此,地理环境、温度和天气因子是影响麻雀数量变化的影响因子。

Relationships between interspecific differences in the mass of internal organs,biochemical markers of metabolic activity,and the thermogenic properties of three smallpasserines

Background:The capacity for thermogenesis is considered part of an animal's adaptive strategy for survival,and basal metabolic rate(BMR) is one of the fundamental physiological standards for assessing the energy cost of thermoregulation in endotherms.BMR has been shown to be a highly flexible phenotypic trait both between,and within,species,but the metabolic mechanisms involved in the regulation of BMR,which range from variation in organ mass to biochemical adjustments,remain unclear.In this study,we investigated the relationship between organ mass,biochemical markers of metabolic tissue activity,and thermogenesis,in three species of small passerines:wild Bramblings(Fringilla montifringilla),Little Buntings(Emberiza pusilla) and Eurasian Tree Sparrows(Passer montanus),caught in Wenzhou,southeastern China.Methods:Oxygen consumption was measured using an open-circuit respirometry system.Mitochondrial state-4 respiration and cytochrome c oxidase(COX) activity in liver and pectoral muscle were measured with a Clark electrode.Results:Our results show that Eurasian Tree Sparrows had significantly higher BMR,digestive organ mass,mitochondrial state-4 respiration capacity and COX activity in liver and muscle,than Bramblings and Little Buntings.Furthermore,interspecific differences in BMR were strongly correlated with those indigestive tract mass,state-4 respiration and COX activity.Conclusions:Our findings suggest that the digestive organ mass,state-4 respiration and COX activity play an important role in determining interspecific differences in BMR.

Life-history dependent relationships between plasma alkaline phosphatase activity and body condition in male Eurasian Tree Sparrows

Background: In temperate-breeding birds, individuals must adjust their physiological states from one life-history stage to another in response to changing conditions to maximize ecological fitness. Previous evidences have shown that body mass, size-corrected mass(SCM), and hematocrit(Hct) could be used as estimates of the energetic state of individuals to illustrate life-history trade-offs and individual quality in field physiology. Plasma alkaline phosphatase(ALP) plays critical roles in regulating the metabolism of energy but very limited information is known on its link with body mass or Hct.Methods: We determined the changes of plasma ALP levels in both early breeding and wintering stages of male Eurasian Tree Sparrows(Passer montanus), and examined the relationships between ALP and body mass, SCM, and Hct of the birds.Results: Our study showed that(1) in male Eurasian Tree Sparrows, body mass did not vary with life-history stage but plasma ALP activity significantly increased in the wintering stage compared to the breeding stage;(2) ALP activity was not correlated with individual body mass but was positively correlated with individual SCM and Hct. Such positive correlations, however, only occurred in the wintering but not in the breeding stages.Conclusions: Our results suggest that plasma ALP activities in free-living birds can be used as one of the indicators o body condition or nutritional status for analyzing individual variation in the wintering but not in the breeding stages. The life-history dependent relationships between plasma ALP activity and body condition may contribute to our better understanding of the trade-off between individual survival and reproduction in free-living animals.

Warmer springs, laying date and clutch size of tree sparrows Passer montanus in Croatia

Global surface air temperatures increased during the past 100 years. Many long-term studies of birds have reported a climatic influence on breeding performance. We analysed long-term changes in first laying date and clutch size for first clutches of sedentary, hole-nesting and socially monogamous tree sparrows Passer montanus during 1980-2009 in northwestern Croatia. Laying date advanced and spring temperature increased significantly during the study. Date of laying was significantly correlated with mean air spring temperature and advanced by 8.6 days during the 30 years period. Laying date was delayed in extremely cold, but not in extremely warm springs compared to years with normal temperatures. These results suggest that current climate change including extreme change does not have negative effects on timing of laying or clutch size. In contrast to laying date, clutch size did not vary systematically during the study period or with mean spring air temperature changes [Current Zoology 57 （3）： 414-418, 2011].

How will climate change affect the potential distribution of Eurasian tree sparrows Passer montanus in North America？

Habitat suitability models have been used to predict the present and future potential distribution of a variety of spe- cies. Eurasian tree sparrows Passer montanus, native to Eurasia, have established populations in other parts of the world. In North America, their current distribution is limited to a relatively small region around its original introduction to St. Louis, Missouri. We combined data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility with current and future climate data to create habitat suitability models using Maxent for this species. Under projected climate change scenarios, our models show that the distribution and range of the Eurasian tree sparrow could increase as far as the Pacific Northwest and Newfoundland. This is potentially important in-formation for prioritizing the management and control of this non-native species [Current Zoology 57 （5）： 648--654, 2011].

Protective effect of probiotic diets on haematobiochemical and histopathology changes of Mystus montanus(Jerdon 1849)against Aeromonas hydrophila

Objectives:To evaluate the protective effct of probiotic diets on haemotobiochemical and histopathology changes of Mystus montanus against Aeromonas hydrophila(A.hydrophila).Methods:Three experimental groups of fish were fed with a diet supplemented with Lactobacillus acidophilus(L.acidophilus)(Sporolac),comprising about 0.1 g,0.2 g and 0.3 g.Control group of fish were fed without L.acidophilus.After 60 d of feeding the fishes in experimental group were injected with 1 mL of A.hydrophila and were supplemented with probiotic diets.The control group fishes were injected with 1 mL of physiological saline solution alone.Results:Blood samples were collected for haematobiochemical analysis,while samples of the liver,and gills were examined for path histology after 7 d of infection.The result showed that the growth parameters,weight gain,specific growth rate were better in infected group maintained on the probiotic diet compared to those in control group.The haematology parameters,erythrocyte sedimentation rate,red blood cell,white blood cell,total serum protein,Mg^(2+),Ca^(2+),Cl,glucose,cholesterol and total immunoglobulin concentration and the pathohistology of the liver,gills were better in the infected fish maintained on the probiotic diet than those in the group fed the control diet.Conclusions:The result of the present study showed that L.acidophilus is useful as a probiotic agent in Mystus montanus against A.hydrophila.

豫西寒武系第三统张夏组鲕粒灰岩中机会生物留下的遗迹化石

豫西寒武系第三统张夏组鲕粒灰岩中赋存大量机会种留下的遗迹化石Planolites montanus,沿层面水平或低角度倾斜分布,呈无定向弯曲状。潜穴管不发育衬壁、充填物为土黄色的灰泥。尽管鲕粒灰岩形成于高能的碳酸盐岩浅滩环境,但P.montanus造迹生物却在鲕粒沉积物深层活动,不易受水动力搅动作用影响,故留下深阶层进食潜穴。造迹生物以鲕粒表面的细菌及黏附的其他有机质为食,潜穴充填物应为其肠道消化的残余物。从机会生态学角度分析,P.montanus造迹生物能够根据环境或食物来源选择适合其生存的策略,具有较短的生命周期和较强的繁殖能力,对极端环境的适应能力强,并且作为狭适性动物对其生存环境具有专属性。

Habitat use of urban Tree Sparrows in the process of urbanization:Beijing as a case study

The Tree Sparrow(Passer montanus)is a dom-inant species in urban bird communities.With the devel-opment of urbanization,the habitats and sources of food for Tree Sparrows are decreasing.Can the urban Tree Sparrow adapt to changes in the urban environment?To answer this question,we studied the habitat use of Tree Sparrows in eight types of urban areas in Beijing.The results show that the number of both breeding and winter-ing Tree Sparrows decreased with increasing urbanization.The habitat use of Tree Sparrows,analyzed using stepwise discriminant analysis,was positively correlated with the number of brick bungalows,coniferous and broad-leaved trees and air conditioners.It was negatively correlated with the area of high buildings and hardened roads,pedestrian and automobile flux.This indicates that the Tree Sparrow had not adapted to rapid urbanization even though it is a generally adaptable species.Urban planning should take birds such as the Tree Sparrow into consideration.

Medicinal plants as immunostimulants for health management in Indian cat fish

Objective:To study the effect of three medicinal plants on growth,survival and immunoprotection in Mystus montanus fingerlings.Methods:The three experimental groups of fish were fed with a diet supplemented of Ocimum tenuiflorum,Zingiber officinale and Allium cepa(0.5 g each),and control group was fed without supplementation of herbal diet.After 45 d of feeding the experimental group fishes were injected with 0.5 mL of Aeromonas hydrophila and were supplemented with herbal diet.In the control group fishes were injected with 0.5 mL of physiological saline solution alone.Results:The blood samples were collected for haemotological analysis after 7 d of post infection.The results showed that the haematological parameters of haemoglobin,serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase,serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase,serum glucose,red blood cell and white blood cell were found to be more in challenged fish.The survival rate of pathogen challenged fish maintained on the herbal diet is better than those in the control group which is supplemented with non-herbal diet.Conclusions:These results indicated that herbal diet is useful as a growth promoter and for disease resistance of Mystus montanus against Aeromonas hydrophila infection.